It's all about the "Poos"

Yes, it about the poo. With so much lingo within black hair care it hard to know what some people are talking about. But lets talk Poo...shampoo, pre-poo and no-poo. Each process can be used for many different reasons and many people have their own preference on maintaining their hair.
SHAMPOO:
We are all fairly familiar with your basic shampoo. It's a product that has been apart of our hair regimen since before we can even remember. Shampoo's main job is to clean the hair. Most of your mainstream brands of shampoos are also filled with sulfates(Soduim Lauryl Sulfates and Soduim Laureth Sulfates) and some even contain Propolene Glycol(antifreeze). Sulfates are one of the main reasons your hair feels extremely dry after shampooing. Nevertheless, the effect varies from person to person. Shampoos are stripping agents which removes all dirt from the hair/scalp, but it also removes the natural oils in the hair. These oils are needed to protect your hair so if they are being stripped too harshly, it can be hard to retain and maintain moisture.
There are many alternatives to shampooing your hair without the harsh chemicals. There are a number of natural shampoos that do not contain these products. They will be advertised as "Sulfate free" shampoos. One difference between these shampoos and the sulfate filled shampoos is the "sudsy" feeling. The sulfate frees may not produce the same amount of suds that we are generally used to so we may feel that it's not getting as clean, but the truth of the matter is that it's getting just as clean as before. We may associate suds with the amount of cleaning agent in the product but I have found that my hair gets just as clean.
Another alternative would be to use ACV (apple cider vinegar) to clean the scalp. Apple cider vinegar can be used to clean the scalp and also helps control itching. My personal experience has proven to me that if I dilute the ACV with water the acidity is not as harsh on my hair. The apple cider vinegar is a staple of mine when I have alot of buildup in my hair. The ACV allows me to completely clean my scalp without the drying affect that comes with using a regular shampoo.
PRE-POO:
The pre-poo is a process that I personally could not wrap my head around for a long time,but I have come to LOVE the pre-poo.The pre-poo is a process that is used before you even apply any type of shampoo to the hair. The reason for the pre-poo is to give your hair an extra layer of protection before shampooing. You can apply a mixture of your favorite oils, conditioners or butters(I prefer to stick to oils and honey) to your dry hair and covering it with a plastic cap. The natural heat from your head will heat up the oils and help them penetrate into the hair shaft. You can leave the cap on for a number of hours or overnight for the best affect. After you remove the cap,rinse out the hair and then you can use a small amount of shampoo to the hair and continue your regular regimen for washing. The layer of oils prevent the shampoo from totally stripping the hair of all oils and allows you to retain some moisture after the wash
NO-Poo:
The no-poo is a process where no traditional shampoo is used at all. Some naturals prefer to avoid all shampoos and use alternative methods. As before, we mentioned the use of ACV, but some also like to use betonite clay as an alternative to washing hair. Co-washing is a popular method of washing the hair with conditioner. It allows the hair to come clean but does not expose the hair to harsh and drying chemicals. Those that tend to have dry hair like to simply rinse the hair and apply oils to the hair.

Some prefer a single method while some like to incorporate all 3 methods. Depending on the hairstyle, season, exercise routine or available time, it's easy to fluctuate between all 3.